o more. We had talked ourselves into so good
an understanding, that, when he went away, I asked him, as a matter of
course, to come and see me again; nor could I indeed avoid inviting him
to that house to which, had my cousin been alive, he would have been,
no doubt, very welcome.

Senhor Dickie came often to see me, and every time he came the better
did we become acquainted. We chatted together about all sorts of things;
we sang duets together (he had a fine bass voice); and at last he
requested permission to take my portrait, which he did, as represented
in the Frontispiece to this Autobiography.

It was on occasion of one of these visits that, on a hot summer's
afternoon, we sat in the arbour together. I do not know how it was we
had walked out there, whether at his wish or at my invitation, but there
we sat, and I remember thinking--for I said nothing--that nature had
never appeared more beautiful. The flowers seemed to be tinged with more
lovely colours; the green of the trees wore a richer and deeper hue;
the butterflies looked as if they had put on their most dazzling suits
in celebration of some holiday; and the birds appeared to be holding
high festival beneath the glowing heavens, and fluttered and twittered
and sang with greater glee than they had ever seemed to do before. My
companion's voice, low and deep at all times, was surely softer on that
evening than I had ever known it; and his eyes wore a look of tenderness
which made me cast mine to the ground, for fear he should discover the
same expression in my own.

He had just placed his paw on mine, and opened his mouth with the
intention of making a speech, which I am sure would have been a sweet
one, when I saw his face change, his back set up, his tail swell out and
move angrily to and fro, while his ears fell back, and an angry hiss
whistled fiercely from his close-set teeth, as he looked towards the
palings. I turned quickly round in the direction of his eyes, and, to my
horror, saw one of the malicious creatures of the house close by, who
was watching us with intense satisfaction through a break in the fence,
and grinning at the tender scene which I have been attempting to
describe.

When she saw she was discovered, she started off towards her own house,
uttering, as she went, a hoarse Mul-rou-u-u! but before she had got
halfway there, my companion had leapt over the fence and pounced upon
her, to punish her for her indiscreet curiosity and imperti